Trouble in Paradise
by LochNessa250997
Summary: Elise Collarhone is the typical heiress to a town of not so honest people, but when her and two friends decide to go on a ten day long holiday to a cottage her parents own she finally wakes up. Disturbing and somewhat fast paced drama/horror story. Not suitable for those who get scared easily.
1. Prologue

You know they say that the love of a special someone will ease all pain? That your best friend will heal all broken hearts? The kiss of your lover will make you forget all suffering? Well imagine if the lost of those two very special people is the reason for your hurt, your pain, your suffering.

I'm Elise Collarhone... I am sixteen years old. A sixth former in a little school in a little town where there is hardly ever any suffering. It's the kind of town you see in movies, you know the type, the ones with white picket fences and smiling neighbours. Of course there is crime and suffering but people ignore that. They pretend it doesn't happen. Turn a blind cheek to the pain that is so clearly under the surface that you only need to talk to one residence of this town and it is clear it is all a show.

My parents, Emmett and Emily Collarhone, own the biggest corporation in this town. As the founders we are well known and well respected in this small, one Starbucks town. That's why when the incident happened everyone knew about it. Emails, cards, flowers, you name it I got it after the accident... people I had never spoke to before were sending me their condolences. That's the kind of thing people do in a fake town full of fake happy people.

I was the typical aristocrat daughter, stand upright, look mutual, no smile. That's what Henry, my etiquette teacher as a child always taught me. Sit upright, don't let them see anything but your smile, you're a lady, you have no emotion for them to see.

Meet Elise Collarhone, beauty queen and heiress to the biggest aristocrat of the county. Daughter of Emmett Collarhone, the most well know entrepreneur of the twenty-first century. The lovely daughter of lady Emily Collarhone, duchess of Rose-tower. High expectations landed on my shoulders, which were to be kept perfectly erect.

So I suppose you want to hear the story.. of why the heiress to a small town in a remote area was sent condolence cards, or why the sight of the country side makes me shiver. Well I warn you... it's not a place you will want to visit lightly... but if you are sure I will take you on a journey... A journey back two years ago when life was easier.


	2. Day 0

** Pre-trip day (doesn't count)**

"C'mon Charm we have to go soon or it'll get dark and the road won't be visible!" I shouted up to my best friend Charmin. Charmin was as loyal as best friends can be, I had known her for my whole life and not once had we left each other side. All through the childhood we had never once fought or fell out. She was my perfect opposite, soft where I was hard, sweet where I was not and caring where I was judgemental. We had a perfect relationship. I hardened her for all of life's brutality and she softened me to see the beauty in it. I, after all, being brought up to see the world as one big business opportunity through my parentage where as she was brought up to see life as beauty. Her father was a painter, one of the best around if you ask me, he captured beauty in ways that not even a butterfly could.

Charmin was my complete opposite in looks also, she was fair, blue eyes and pale skinned. Her soft lips and kind eyes made it impossible for those around her to hate her, she was one person you could immediately fall in love with and never once hate. She had soft hands that screamed potential mother and an even kinder nature to back it up. She was beautiful, well groomed and sophisticated. She had a soft voice that could lull you into feeling safe in the strangest of situations and a touch that could ease your tension in a second. She was the perfect daughter of a magnificent painter.

I was again seen as very beautiful, I had blond hair and blue eyes also but there was something hard around the edges of my eyes. That was what my father called the business look, the kind of look that could stare down a room full of corporate leaders and not once back down. I was not kind in nature and I didn't have a soothing voice. I had the voice of reason, I told you how it was without once sparing your feelings. My touch was only soft if you deserved it and that rarely happened. I took no crap from anyone but held my tongue in society. After all I was the daughter of an aristocrat, I could not be foul mouthed.

"All right, I am coming, calm down Lisa really. There is nothing to fear we will be there in no time with the way Jack drives." Jackson was Charmin's older brother and my boyfriend. He again had been someone that had always been there and from three years ago had been someone I had always wanted around. He was Charmin's complete opposite in every way. He had jet black hair cut short at the sides but left longer on top, striking green eyes that pierced your body and searched it with one look. He had an earth shattering smile that was to die for but the best part of Jackson was his personality. Now without sounding to cliché Jackson was perfection. He was caring and kind, would do anything for anyone but give him any crap and you would get it right back. He was strong and could fight for himself but did not let that over take him and would still trust you into you gave him reason not to. He loved his sister to pieces and would do anything for, heck, he'd kill for her if that's what it took.

"Hey I heard that chicken you better take that back," Jackson came charging into the room and spun his twin around. Looking at them you'd never believe they were twins, two sides of the same coin.

"Oh stop Jack, now look what you've done, my mascara is smudged..." Charmin growled and went to work perfecting her brothers mistake.

"Honestly I don't understand why you where that stuff you look beautiful without it," he kissed her cheek before she shooed him away. He then turned his gaze on me and my stomach hit the floor. "Speaking of beautiful..." His lazy grin never faltered as he strutted towards me never dropping eye contact like a tiger stalking his prey.

"Oh god can you guys not look like you're going to devour each other in my room please," Char squealed and threw a pillow at her brother. He caught it just in time and threw it back, reaching for me and growling into my neck. I squeaked and thrashed in his arms playfully before he pinned my hands behind my back. "Easy tiger, don't want y'all getting hurt." That. That is what I loved most about him. The way he just cared for everyone. Placing a soft kiss on my cheek he let me go and grabbed my hand instead.

"So, what's this cottage called again Ellie?" Jackson said as he plopped himself on the bed and pulled me into his lap.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "Just some old place my mum and dad refurbished for a holiday home, meant to be real nice inside. You know what dad is like." I sighed and rolled my eyes. My dad was a massive snob and had to have the best of the best in everything he ever brought.

"Sure do, should be a swanky place then huh? Any neighbours?" Charm asked, finishing off her make up and putting her make up bag on the top of her clothes in her suitcase.

I shrugged again and played with the apple I had in my hands eyeing up her suitcase. "You really need that many clothes Charm?" I asked sceptically.

Her look gave away all the disgust she felt, "Unlike you Lisa some of us didn't have our clothes shipped there yesterday, besides it doesn't hurt to look pretty." She lifted her chin and closed her case. Behind me I could hear Jackson chuckling.

"Whatever, we need to get going like now or we will be struggling to get there by tomorrow." Jackson muttered and pulled me off his lap, getting up and heading for the door. "You girls better hurry up or I'll come and whatever is packed I'll take." With that he stalked out the room.

Charmin poked her tongue out in that sisterly way you do and looked at me. "Honestly what do you see in him? He's the most annoying person I know." She walked around her room checking things off her list.

My eyes followed her, "Yeah, but I don't have to live with him..." I sighed wistfully. Ten days out of this life, ten days of feeling normal. I liked getting away without my parents. I went on these horrible skiing trips every year just to escape the life I lead but this year my parent's refused to pay and told me to go to the cottage instead. Ten days in a top notch cottage all paid for by my loving parents: perfect.

"Okay! I am done, we better go before Jack gets all hormonal again." Charm rolled her eyes and headed out the door, pulling her rather large case behind her. I chuckled and got up from the bed, taking one last glance at her room I smiled. This holiday was going to be perfect. However as I was heading towards the first step of her stairs a thought shot through my mind. I didn't know the people in the area of the cottage, what if they were weird or stalkers or robbers. What if they got all weird and tried to break in? I froze where I stood and thousands of different scenarios flashed through my mind.

"Elise I swear to god if you don't hurry up I will carry you out of the house," Jackson shouted, poking his head round the front door. His booming voice brought me back from my reserved mind and I shook all thoughts from my head.

"Sorry!" I shouted back, "Just coming I left my phone in Charmin's room," With that I jogged down the stairs to meet the faces of the two people I loved more than anything in the world smiling from the car. "What?" I asked, confused as to their expressions.

"Nothing, we just can't believe you don't realise how lucky you are.." Charmin muttered.

"Yeah I am real lucky," I spat "I have so much pressure on me to be perfect that I cant remember the last time I just got to be normal. For this weekend can you to promise to just treat me like I am not a princess or whatever and just be normal?" I looked between them. Jackson had a soft look around the eyes as if he were wishing he could change everything for me. Charmin did not have that look, in fact she was laughing.

"Of course baby," Jackson smiled and kissed my cheek as I slid in beside him. Charm just nodded. "Off we go chicks, time to have the best ten days of our lives!" Jackson growled and shot off down the road.

…

As we got onto the road he started playing with the radio until he found a respective channel and turned up the volume to the perfect volume to break my ear lobes. I fiddled with the sat-nav until I found the right post code and put it on the dash then I settled down to look at the rush of towns passing by out of my window. The trip was a good 8 hour trip and with the bad weather coming in it would probably take longer. I let my mind wonder to the fun we would be having the next ten days and the perfect nights in, the amazing views. Slowly, with a picture of a hot fire and hot chocolate in my head I fell asleep.

...

I was awoke abruptly five hours later by the sound of Charmin's soft voice raised to a level that alarmed me. I pretended to still be drifting, listening to the conversation my two best friends were having.

"You're going to what?" Charmin's voice squealed in alarm.

"I am going to ask Elise to marry me," Jackson said smoothly. That made my breath hitch in my throat. What? Marriage? But I was only 18. _Okay calm down Elise, it's okay now that you know you can think of a sensible way to handle this. Don't get hysterical. They can't know you heard._

"You can't do that! You're both way too young!" She gasped. That's right, well done Charm you tell your brother!

He just groaned, "I wish I never told you." He sighed. "Look Charm, I love her, more than I will ever love anyone again and I can't stand the though of losing her. If I ask her to marry me I won't expect it right now but it will mean that everyone knows she is mine, that I am loving her right. We won't tell anyone just yet, I just want her to know that I am serious about her." I could feel the smile in his voice. "She means more to me than I will ever be able to explain in words."

"But Jack..." she sighed. "Fine, but don't push her too fast for an answer, that's a big step. When will you do it?" Charmin inquired.

"I don't yet. When the time is right." He was then lost to his thoughts and the conversation drifted off. This was a perfect time to fake waking up. I over exaggerated my yawn and sat up slowly. "Morning sunshine." Jackson looked over at me with love in his eyes.

"Morning," I muttered and then looked at the road. "Where are we?" I looked out of my window. The sun was setting and the trees were casting long shadows on the road. No road signs were to be seen anywhere. A slight mist of rain was sheeting past the headlights.

"A little off of two hours away." Jackson said. "But with the rain it might be a little longer, go back to sleep. I'll wake you when we get there." He stroked my leg soothingly but I shook my head.

"No that's okay, I am done sleeping now." I glanced at the time. 18:00 flashed on the dash board. That early huh? The sun was setting early for the summer. At that moment Charmin raised that exact same point.

"Must just be the rain," Jackson shrugged but that didn't seem right to me. Rain didn't make much difference to when the sun was setting. I kept my mouth shut though and just watched as the night engulfed the day and the sun was swallowed by the horizon.

…

Two hours later on the dot we arrived at the most beautiful cottage I had ever seen. My mother really did have an eye for detail when it came to homes. As we got the bags out of the back and walked up to the cottage I saw the faces of my companions shift into a look of shock. _I know,_ I thought, _I used to be like that too. _I unlocked the door and switched on the hall light, stepping back to let Charmin and Jackson in. once they had both shuffled in with their heavy bags I closed and locked the door. That's when I turned around and really appreciated the place.

It wasn't so much as a cottage as a condo. The whole front of the house was glass and pale wood, the walls were ship panelled wood and the floors a white marble usually reserved for art exhibits. The doors were all modern light brown wood and the carpets in the lounge and bedrooms a luxurious crème. The kitchen was humongous with top of the line black marble work surfaces and all the stainless steel appliances you could wish for. The wood cupboards, the same wood as everything else in to house, were stocked for the holiday and the bulbs in the in the ceiling lights had been changed. The chandelier in both bedrooms and the lounge was sparkling. They must have got the cleaners in to do the place up. I went to the bathroom to see if it was stocked and of course it was. The black marble bath and sink were clean and the shower shimmering. The whole place was perfect to live in and gorgeous to say the least.

Jackson wolf whistled as he walked around and Charmin had a look of pure bliss on her face. I smiled. "Wait until you see the back," I lead the way to the back of the property and turned on the light. The decking led down to a built in swimming pool and jacuzzi on another wooden deck. I smiled and looked at the surrounding glass that cut the garden off from the rest of the surrounding land.

"Woooowww," Charmin exaggerated the word and looked around.

"Why is there glass around the garden?" Jackson asked, looking up at the glass dome that shut us off from the rest of the world. I shrugged and walked back into the dining room through the french doors. The eight seated table was set up for a banquet and the whole place had to much of a show house feel to it. Bar the few photos my mum had dotted around of beaches and other famous prints she had bought from Charmin and Jackson's father.

"Hey Charm is there any way of getting in or out of this glass?" Jackson asked. I leant against the door.

"Yeah you just have to unlock it, the staff and my father are the only ones with the keys though." I looked at the locked and bolted door far down the garden.

"Why does the staff need it?" Charm asked.

I pointed out to the barn outside of the properties perimeters. "That's why, they keep all the grounds stuff and cleaning supplies in there I think. It hardly gets used." I said feeling a little uneasy I shivered. "Anyway it's kind of late and I am cold so why don't we go inside and sleep the trip off." I waited for them both to head back indoors and then took one last glance out to the barn. _That place gives me the creeps._

…

An hour later, after a nice long bath I climbed into bed next to my perfect boyfriend and slipped into possiblly the most untroubled sleep I had in ages.


End file.
